NOVEMBER 23, 2007

Mosley goes to Serbia

Max Mosley was in Serbia today to discuss the construction of an international racing circuit in the country. Serbia remains under some international suspicion at the moment because some observers believe that Ratko Mladic and his fellow war crimes suspect Radovan Karadzic enjoy the protection of elements with the country's government and security services because they retain much popularity amongst the country's nationalists. Both men have been indicted by the Yugoslav War Crimes tribunal in The Hague for genocide in connection with incidents during the Bosnian war of 1992-1995 war, including the Srebrenica massacre, in which more than 8000 Bosnian Muslims were killed.

Mosley met with Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica only hours after European Union peacekeepers launched a series of raids to try to capture Karadzic.

Serbia is trying hard to gain acceptance in the international community but its failure to capture Mladic and Karadzic has been a serious problem with its talks to join the European Union. In recent weeks however the chief war crimes prosecutor Carla del Ponte has advised the EU that Serbia is now complying adequately with the tribunal and there is a basis for a Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the European Union.

Once the issue of war criminals is out of the way, Serbia's relationship with the world will no doubt change and Kostunica told AFP that "the construction of such a circuit would have great importance for the development of motor sport in Serbia, tourism, and in promoting the country."

The talks with Mosley also included discussions about Serbian driver Milos Pavlovic, who is a frontrunner in the Renault World Series.